Good bacteria reduce child allergy development

Main Category: Allergy
Article Date: 24 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT


According to researchers, the key to preventing a child from developing allergies could be good bacteria.

In a trial in Australia, babies are being given probiotics, a dietary supplement, twice a day during their first six months. This is being done at Perth's Princess Margaret Hospital.

Probiotics seems to improve immunity. Preliminary studies have shown that children halved their chances of developing dermatitis when given probiotics. Probiotics can be found in some yoghurts.

40% of kids have some kind of allergy. Experts believe it could be because they are being kept clear of all germs and bacteria.

There has been an enormous increase in allergic reactions over the last few decades.

Most serious allergies appear during the first year of a human's life. Allergies such as dermatitis and food allergies among them.

That is why this trial is focussing on the first six months of a baby's life.

Trials on animals have shown that when baby animals are raise in a germ free environment from birth, their chances of developing immune disorders are much greater.

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